Constant Brown Spotting

Hi, I have also been dealing with this for about 3 years. I am a newly wed and sadly my husband and I have not been able to have sex as often I we used to before all of this. I am 27 years old and my sex drive has decreased dramatically for the past 3 years. It has definitely bad its toll on our relationship. #1 I am constantly spiting and if we do have sex, the end result is not pleasing and takes away it. Its so frustrating and I had no idea that I wasn't alone in this. I took hassling for about five years and ever since I started taking it I noticed that my sex drive started to decrease. I have been off of it for about 5 months now.

Hi Zandra,

I ever had only brown spotting as periods.. for 3 cycles... that was the time I went to further my studies overseas. For 3 cycles, NO red, just brown, and sometimes it comes out in small clumps. But prolonged for 2 weeks. And i did not even need to wear a pad.. just liners.. cos it's only spotting when wiped or during urination.

Now I think it might have been anovulation or stress or even change of climate. I went to a cold country.

Btw.. anyone also spots brown before menses? I guess that might be low progesterone.

I had the same problem for close to two years. It started while I was on birth control, so I figured it was time to switch pills, but it did not stop with two or three other pills, so I stopped BC completely (I have been on the pill for about 10 years at that point). The spotting did not stop and nobody could tell me what was wrong with me. All hormone levels were normal. I'm 32 and just got pregnant (on first try!) and the spotting stopped. Maybe my body was just telling me it was ready? I don't know. But good luck to all of you with the spotting problem. I know how much it sucks!

I have also been experiencing this constant brown spotting...and it's extremely annoying. I'm glad I'm not alone, though it's awful that so many women suffer with this without answers! For me, it started after my 2nd pregnancy (I've had 2 C-sections and a tubal ligation) and subsequently an appendectomy during which I had to have a fallopian tube removed as well because it had become infected. I have both ovaries intact. I have also had a D&C for fibroid removal in the past (post-pregnancy).

During this time, I was not taking any birth control, had months with no problems with spotting, but some months when I'd spot the entire time between cycles. I went to my GYN complaining about the constant spotting and had undergone a hysteroscopy, after which he said things looked OK and prescribed birth control pills (I didn't take them). For several months, my cycle was fine and didn't have any spotting issues.

The last several months, however, my spotting has been constant--between cycles, it is constant. I was put on the "mini-pill" which is progesterone-only. It is supposed to stop my cycle, but hasn't done that. It may have lessened the volume of bleeding slightly, but the cycle still continued at the same time. In fact, when I started the progesterone 2 months ago, my cycle continued for 11 days! I am taking the progesterone pill regularly and am experiencing constant brown spotting. When I talked to the GYN nurse about it, she suggested I could talk to the doctor about a uterine ablation. Now, I know that permanently treats the symptoms, but I will not undertake such an invasive procedure for something that is not debilitating, but rather, is just an annoyance.

I am annoyed that they can't tell me why this is happening and I'm annoyed that they don't give me any straight answers about what I can do about it. At least I know I'm not alone. By the way, I'm in my 40s so I keep thinking that things should be stopping when I go through the "change" which is why I don't want to go through any medical procedures unless they're absolutely necessary. Is there anyone able to shed some light on this? Thanks in advance for your help!

Sorry for not writing for so long. The results from my hormone tests say that everything is normal. I really don't understand my body. I can see that everybody except me here started having brown spotting at one point. But I always had it, it was my first period. It acts as my period. Pretends to be my period :D It's not midcycle bleeding. It lasts abnormally long. But I feel like I had some progress. In february I had a normal period. But since then I had two brown-spotting periods. As I am writing this I am on my second.

Just so there's no confusion, the posting above is from Jo73 (forgot to login).

Since my last posting I've had another D&C to check the irregularity of my uterus lining. My ob/gyn said it would be one of two things - a polup or left over tissue from my last miscarriage. It turns out everything was all normal. I now have to have another blood test on the 21st day of my cycle (which will be this coming Monday) to see if my progesterone levels are normal. My ob/gyn said some women experience many months of irregularity with their hormones after giving birth or miscarriage. The last blood test I had done before was on the 1st day of my cycle, which wouldn't give an accurate result for low progesterone. I see my ob/gyn a week after the test when I'll get my results. Still playing the waiting game... but hope to have some answers soon. Will keep all you posted.

@ Whitebunny - I haven't been checked for that but will definitely mention it to my doctor when I see him next.

@ Anonymous with Endo - Constant brown spotting isn't normal and I'm sure if your doctors had to endure it everyday they'd have a different opinion! Have you had an ultrasound of your pelvic region to see if you have any polups etc...? See if you can get your progesterone levels checked as well. Hope you find a solution, I wish you all the best :)